Spine Wave launched the Annex Adjacent Level System, the first adjacent level system designed to treat patients with currently instrumented segments from a minimally invasive approach.
The company released the system for a full commercial launch on Sept. 18. The system is attached to a previously implanted 5.5 mm diameter rod and then, via a percutaneous or mini open approach, attached to a Sniper Spine System Screw. This eliminates the need to remove existing hardware and allows surgeons to treat multiple adjacent levels.
"These surgeons anecdotally reported shorter operating room times and reduced morbidity relative to traditional approaches which generally involve a more invasive approach to remove previously implanted hardware," said Spine Wave CEO Mark LoGuidice. "Due to the tremendous procedural efficiency this procedure can deliver, it has the potential to be a significant 'win' for the patient, the surgeon and the hospital."
The system was invented by Tim Adamson, MD, of Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates in Charlotte, N.C. He's found the device to save operating room time. He is part of an ongoing, multicenter clinical trial to capture the potential clinical and economic developments for the product.